When the Pilgrim Fathers landed in New England in 1620 the event was
celebrated by prayer and bible reading. By contrast when Governor Phillip landed
at Sydney Cove on January 26th, 1788, no religious observance marked the
occasion. As one historian described the scene, "The baptism of the place
was performed in libations of liquor and success to the settlement was duly
toasted in the flowing bowl".

One of the features of Australia that has struck me in the six months I have
lived here is that it appears to have no civil religion. American Presidents
lace their speeches with quotations from the bible and John Major can refer to
old ladies cycling through the early morning mist to holy communion when he
wants to conjure up the spirit of England, but I would be very surprised to hear
this kind of talk from Paul Keating. One survey just published even shows more
Australians able to recognise the golden arches of MacDonald's logo than the
Christian sign of the cross.

Religion rarely surfaces in public discussion. The major metropolitan
newspapers give little coverage to church news and not even the ABC has a
religious affairs correspondent. As often as not the late night Sunday
"God-slot" is filled by an imported "Everyman" production.
As a leading Australian Catholic theologian, Fr Tony Kelly, has observed,
"for a politician, or anyone else in public life for that matter, to appeal
to deeper values is to resist a resentful rejoinder: `Keep your values to
yourself! this is no place for preaching!' "

Coupled with public silence goes a reluctance on the part of individual
Australians to discuss religious issues. The typical male sees himself as tough,
unemotional and untouched by spiritual concerns. Sport is the great national
obsession.

There seems to be a feeling of awkwardness or embarrassment on the part of
some people at the thought of entering a church building. Many weddings are
performed in public places and funerals often take place in chapels owned by
undertakers. Most Anglican clergy refuse to go along with these arrangements but
an increasing number of weddings and funerals are now performed by secular,
registered celebrants. The same officials offer something they call a naming or
"Christening" ceremony.

A partial explanation to this is Anzac day when Australians remember their
casualties at Gallipoli. If there is a civil religion, this observance lies at
its heart. No doubt the Christian themes of death and resurrection are there but
they are submerged beneath a good deal of military ritual.

There are many reasons for the failure of the churches to establish
themselves at the heart of Australian national life. Settlement began after the
Enlightenment had undermined faith in revealed religion. A large proportion of
the early settlers were convicts and the Anglican clergy at least were linked in
their eyes with an unsympathetic establishment. One of the first Anglican
clergymen to work in New South Wales, the Rev. Samuel Marsden, was popularly
known as the "flogging parson". Australia acquired the reputation of
being "the most godless country on earth".

Dr Muriel Porter is one of a number of commentators to suggest that while
Australians do not lack an interest in God, they prefer to bypass the churches
and keep their mysticism to themselves. "There is something about us
Australians" observes Fr Tony Kelly, "that prefers to communicate in
silence rather than words".

The trouble with private spirituality, of course, is that it very easily
loses touch with orthodox Christian belief and turns into superstition or New
Age mysticism. That could well be the road taken by belief in this country.
While there is much Australians can learn from aboriginal culture, it is all too
easy for them to adopt half-understood aboriginal myths or beliefs about sacred
places and rework them in a New Age syncretist mix.

Are there any lessons here for Christians in England? In particular are there
any clues to help us predict the impact disestablishment might have on the
Church of England?

As a missionary, I think the key question to consider here is the influence
such a move could have on the large number of nominal church members who lack
any real allegiance to the faith but who are still glad to claim the C of E
umbrella as their civil religion. Will disestablishment encourage them to
reconsider their beliefs and values and come to a definite commitment or will
the removal of this link to the church drive them further away from organised
religion?

Looking at the Australian situation, my feeling is that cutting the ties
between church and state in England would also weaken the bonds between the
church and the wider community. A disestablished church that was a sharply
defined organisation with clear rules about who can and cannot belong would
undoubtedly have a committed membership but it will also sacrifice evangelistic
opportunities and most likely be a body that carried little weight beyond its
own ranks.

Paul Richardson, the author of this letter, is Bishop of Wangaratta, province
of Victoria.